The Franklin County Board of Elections could again discuss whether to mail absentee ballot applications for the August 4th special election. Columbus voters will decide next month whether to raise the city’s income tax, and early balloting is underway. But voters are not automatically receiving absentee ballot applications in the mail. That’s because of a vote along partly lines that deadlocked the Franklin County Board of Elections.

A federal judge in Columbus has ruled that about 1,000 disputed provisional ballots cast in Franklin County must be counted. Those ballots could determine the outcome of the 15th congressional district race between Republican Steve Stivers and Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy.

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner earlier this year issued a state-wide directive to counties, requiring them to have a supply of paper ballots on hand. The measure was announced shortly after a study found voting machines may be susceptible to tampering. Now one day after the Ohio primary, many counties are left with many of those ballots unused.

Many Ohioans are casting their votes for the March 4th primary almost a month in advance. Starting Friday, county elections boards are sending out absentee ballots to voters who requested them. Or, voters may go to their local elections office to pick up a ballot and vote in person.

For years, Ohio race tracks have lobbied unsuccessfully for the right to host slot machines or other new forms of gambling. Now, there is a new plan to expand gambling in Ohio but the racetracks do not like it.

The Franklin County Board of Elections is still not sure how to handle provisional ballots on election day. The board is asking Secretary of State Ken Blackwell to clarify a recent ruling he made on how to deal the ballots.